1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to casting machines, and more particularly to an articulated casting assembly useful in limited production of special purpose castings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the art of metal casting various devices have been developed for advancing and withdrawing mold sections and core plugs. Most frequently such devices address the problems of mass production and consequence do not accommodate the flexibility and convenience required by those engaged in singular molding processes such as those engaged to produce prototypes or limited production castings.
The problems of a prototype producer are distinctly different from the problems of mass production and the limited producer, for example, is more interested in tool convenience and flexibility over quantity output. Moreover, a limited casting producer will often resort to molds conveniently made and sand molds are thus often utilized in such applications. Accordingly, those engaged in prototype work often require tools for the manipulation of heavy mold sections and core plugs, movement for articulation which conveniently adapt to various molds. Simply, those engaged in limited production require tools of wide flexibility both to conserve costs and equipment repertoire.
In the past, articulated casting molds were devised such as those exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,776,591 to Liers, 1,872,085 to Korsmo and the Soviet Union Pat. No. 835621 to Tabensky. Each of those prior references, while suitable for their purposes, address a singular or a single species of mold configuration and therefore lack the requisite flexibility contemplated herein. Flexible, generally useful and fully articulated molding and/or casting assemblies are therefore desired and it is one such assembly that is disclosed herein.